Parked car crashed into

LegalCashier

Hi,

Whilst sitting at home and eating lunch earlier today we received a phone call saying our car had been involved in an accident, assuming it was a cold caller we went to hang up but was informed it was our car insurers and we told to inspect our car.

We went outside to see that our parked car had a note on the windscreen with someone’s number name and reg plate (no other details) and along with this a dent in the car and all the wheels facing in different directions!

We rang Admiral back and was informed that a car had reversed of their friend’s drive and gone straight into the side of our car. Insurers have told us it’s not economical to fix the car and have offered us the value.

They have offered £1,380 and a courtesy car for 7(?!) days. We paid £2,500 for the car December 2018 and three weeks ago paid out £600/700 for MOT, service and all 4 break pads and discs.

Someone came out from the corner shop and said they have the incident on CCTV and we can have a look tomorrow morning when the manager is back. The lady said there was an altercation either with the person who hit our car or another driver but a passerby made told them to stop and leave details.

Our concern is we now have to find a new car in 7 days, and try to scrape together another £1,500 for a reliable car. We both travel to work together and public transport is much more expensive than driving.

We are looking into legal action as our car was parked legally, has any one had any similar experiences? Should we contact the police? Also is a 7 day courtesy car fair? As all local dealers shut half an hour after finishing work and we have no paid holiday to spare.

Apologies if we sound naive, this is the first car we have ever had and we have never had any need to contact our insurance provider before.

Thank you,
L

Shaun_of_the_Dead

LegalCashier wrote: »

Hi,

Whilst sitting at home and eating lunch earlier today we received a phone call saying our car had been involved in an accident, assuming it was a cold caller we went to hang up but was informed it was our car insurers and we told to inspect our car.

We went outside to see that our parked car had a note on the windscreen with someone’s number name and reg plate (no other details) and along with this a dent in the car and all the wheels facing in different directions!

We rang Admiral back and was informed that a car had reversed of their friend’s drive and gone straight into the side of our car. Insurers have told us it’s not economical to fix the car and have offered us the value.

They have offered £1,380 and a courtesy car for 7(?!) days. We paid £2,500 for the car December 2018 and three weeks ago paid out £600/700 for MOT, service and all 4 break pads and discs.

Someone came out from the corner shop and said they have the incident on CCTV and we can have a look tomorrow morning when the manager is back. The lady said there was an altercation either with the person who hit our car or another driver but a passerby made told them to stop and leave details.

Our concern is we now have to find a new car in 7 days, and try to scrape together another £1,500 for a reliable car. We both travel to work together and public transport is much more expensive than driving.

We are looking into legal action as our car was parked legally, has any one had any similar experiences? Should we contact the police? Also is a 7 day courtesy car fair? As all local dealers shut half an hour after finishing work and we have no paid holiday to spare.

Apologies if we sound naive, this is the first car we have ever had and we have never had any need to contact our insurance provider before.

Thank you,
L

You are entitled to market value for the car in its pre accident condition. The fact you've paid to maintain it is irrelevant, 7 days after settlement is fair for a courtesy car.

lincroft1710

A dent and all wheels facing in different directions??

I would think it would be a bit more than a dent!

Police won't be interested.

7 day courtesy car may be what's included in your cover, so that is what you get. Fairness doesn't come into it.

Scrapit

What legal action will you be bringing?

NeverEnough

Sounds like a lot more than a dent if the wheels are all facing different directions!!! Very odd!



Don't you look at / check your car daily then? As it seems insurance have already sent someone to look at it, decide it is not economically repairable and offer you a settlement which usually takes a few days at best........


You can challenge their offer by getting details of similar age and model car ads and sending that to them, you can also offer to buy it back if you or a mechanic you have asked to check it, think it can be repaired at reasonable cost. Insurers often write off older cars when they could in fact be easily repaired at a reasonable cost.

Either way, you won't get the cost of the service and repairs back.



I would check and see if it could be easily repaired and offer to buy it back. If the damage is as bad as it potentially sounds and it is a write off, then challenge the offer they made, but back up your challenge with proof of similar / same cars on sale currently.

EdGasketTheSecond

Scrapit wrote: »

What legal action will you be bringing?

Claiming full losses off the third party I would imagine; what else?

EdGasketTheSecond

Duplicated thread:


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6090670/parked-car-is-now-a-write-off

born_again

Just when did this happen?

If today, then how did they get anyone out to declare it a write off?

If there was a altercation, either why did they not knock on your door at the time or leave a witness contact details?

Have you spoken to neighbour?

Scrapit

EdGasketTheSecond wrote: »

Claiming full losses off the third party I would imagine; what else?

So that's the value of the car, which is covered by the insurance. What other costs?

EdGasketTheSecond

Scrapit wrote: »

So that's the value of the car, which is covered by the insurance. What other costs?

No. Insurance often don't give you full value whereas if you bring a legal claim against the TP for what you consider your actual full value losses, the insurers will invariably cough up without fighting it.

AdrianC

EdGasketTheSecond wrote: »

No. Insurance often don't give you full value

Yes, they do.

The question is in ascertaining what that "full value" is.

whereas if you bring a legal claim against the TP for what you consider your actual full value losses, the insurers will invariably cough up without fighting it.

Who you're claiming against is irrelevant. They all pay their perception of "full value", and if you disagree as to what that is, then the ombudsman will decide according to the same standard.